Promoting a 50/50 Gender Balance by 2020

About

Kevin Maggiacomo

Kevin serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sperry Van Ness International Corporation. He’s a progressive thinker who aims to end the gender inequality found within corporate leadership. He has done this by launching 50/50 by 2020, a campaign that seeks to establish an equal number of women and men within leadership roles by the year 2020.

Many organizations have initiatives geared towards developing female talent, however senior level management positions are still dominated by men. Increased focus should be placed on the creation of gender balanced leadership teams, by developing and harnessing the skills and strengths of all promotable talent.

Creating gender balance at the leadership level isn’t only the right thing to do, it’s also a financially sound thing to do. Research suggests that organizations that value the diversity brought by both women and men are better able to attract and retain high performers and improve operational performance.

Julie’s 30-year career, spanning the corporate and nonprofit sectors, has thrived on the assumption that a creative plan and bold action are the defining charateristics in real leadership. As an experienced and creative business professional, specializing in media and public relations, marketing and crisis management, Julie has a passion for global leadership and mentoring future young leaders. Her visionary thinking has been instrumental in the creation of the 5050x 2020 gender-balanced initiative, which strives to achieve gender balanced leadership at the c-suite levels by the year 2020.

Mark Van Ness

Mark Van Ness is the Founder of Real Leaders, a media organization that aims to “Inspire Better Leaders for a Better World.” Real Leaders serves a community of 23,000 CEOs in 125 countries that represent 10% of the global GDP.

At the age of 30, Mark founded Sperry Van Ness (SVN) and served as CEO for 22 years, growing nationwide through two of the worst downturns since the Great Depression. He has founded or co-founded many social enterprises including Bazillion Books for Kids!, Social Enterprise Loan Fund, YPO Sustainable Business Global Network, the Annual Social Innovation Fast Pitch at USC, and 5050×2020.org.

He is an active impact investor in businesses like Change.org, Better World Books, Beyond Meat, Impact HUBs and serves on the non-profit board of Impact Assets.

Mark has been a featured speaker internationally to leaders in Athens, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Los Angeles, Oxford, and Sydney.

Diane Danielson

As COO of Sperry Van Ness International Corporation, Diane oversee operations for the company including marketing, accounting, legal, compliance, contracts, and technology departments. She is also involved in the planning and execution of strategic initiatives to expand their franchise network, optimize services and develop innovative technology and communication platforms for franchisees.

Grant Schreiber

Twenty years of communications experience has seen Grant consult to governments, NGOs, corporates and major international brands. Information is power and Grant has spoken to a vast array of people who have shared their stories, all with the aim of building brands or changing perceptions for the better. From HIV-Aids research with traditional healers in Africa to interviews with Michael Johnson, Forest Whitaker, Sara Blakely, FW de Klerk, Desmond Tutu, the Mayor of Frankfurt and Laura Seydel Turner, he has sought out stories that deliver insight and intelligence to business leaders and brands that require strategic advice or fresh solutions to old problems.

Cynthia Cleveland

Cynthia is CEO of BroadLit – a digital enterprise targeting female readers. As a five-time CEO, Cleveland is expert in developing, transplanting and monetizing property rights into major global brands. She is also passionate about female leadership and is an executive board member of YPO’s Women’s network – leading the initiative for increased female board participation. She also leads Lean In Circles, inspiring the next generation of female leaders.